Post Your Answer
2 years ago in Open Access Movement By Rahul K
How do copyright and licensing work with open access publications?
If I publish my article open access, do I still own the copyright? What does a "CC BY" license mean, and why do some funders insist on it? Are there other license options?
All Answers (1 Answers In All)
By Alison Answered 1 year ago
In traditional publishing, you often transfer copyright to the publisher. In OA, you typically retain copyright and grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish. The critical tool is the Creative Commons (CC) license, applied to your work. The CC BY (Attribution) license is the gold standard for funders (like those in Plan S) because it allows unrestricted reuse—including for commercial purposes—as long as you are credited. This enables text-mining, translations, and inclusion in curricula. Other licenses are more restrictive: CC BY-NC prohibits commercial use, and CC BY-ND prohibits derivatives (like translations). These restrictions can limit utility. Always choose the least restrictive license your funder allows (usually CC BY) to maximize the reach and reuse of your work. Read the publisher's copyright agreement carefully.
Reply to Alison
Related Questions